Caribbean and Central America Travel

The Netherlands Antilles is composed of several islands, grouped into two. Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten make up the Leeward Islands. Bonaire and Curaçao make up the Windward Islands located north of Venezuela.

Both group of islands were discovered for Spain: the leeward islands by Alonso de Ojeda in 1499, and the windward islands by Christopher Columbus in 1493. When they first arrived in the islands, it was inhabited by the Arawak Indians.

The Dutch came in and colonized the islands during the 17th century. The slave trade in the Netherlands Antilles flourished, but quickly floundered when slavery was abolished in 1863. It was the burgeoning oil industry in Curaçao that saved the Netherlands Antilles’ economy.
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The United States Virgin Islands, or the US Virgin Islands, are part of the Virgin Island archipelago in the Caribbean. Similar to its British counterpart, they are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.

The Virgin Islands (main islands being St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix), were named by Christopher Columbus on his second journey into the west Indies. Though first inhabited by the Caribs and the Arawaks, European settlers soon came and took over the land. The US Virgin Islands have changed hands throughout the succeeding years, mostly European. First there were the Spaniards, then it fell unto British rule, followed by the Netherlands, France, then Denmark.

It was the Danish who helped in building the islands’ economy, with the settlement of the Danish West India Company on the island of Saint Thomas in 1672. To this day, the US Virgin Islands are often refered to as the Danish West Indian Islands by the people of Denmark.

While the Dutch helped the economy of the country flourish under their rule, it also started its decline while under their control. With the abolition of the slavery in July 3, 1848, the sugarcane industry and the economy was greatly affected. A treaty was proposed to sell the islands of St. Thomas and St. John to the United States in 1867. There was a general consensus, but the sale never pushed through. A second treaty was pushed 35 years later, but it majority of the Danish parliament voted against it.

It was World War I that finally made the Danish Crown sell the islands to the United States. In fears of the islands being taken by the Germans in their attack of the USA. Coupled with the burden of supporting a failing economy, the Denmark finally handed over the islands on March 31, 1917.

Today, the US Virgin Islands are a favorite vacation destination of Americans, specially during the winter months. December to May sees the highest tourist entries, the balmy breeze of the Caribbean offering a warm respite to the cold winds and snow up north. The best time to travel to the US Virgin Islands is between June to August, when the rates drops by almost 30%, and the water is clearer for better visibility when diving.

Fodor.com listed three islands in the Caribbean as the favorite port of call of Caribbean cruises. The winners? Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles, the island of Dominica, and the Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos islands.

According to Fodor’s, these islands have the best to offer Caribbean tourists. Curacao with its spectacular dive sites, Dominica with its lush rain forest and numerous outdoor activities making it the perfect destination for adventure travelers, and the Grand Turk with its gorgeous beaches that’s perfect for sunbathing, wading or snorkeling.

Head on over to Fodors.com to see the complete recommendation list.

Formerly known as British Honduras, Belize lies in the American mainland, its eastern shores welcoming the waves of the Caribbean sea. Though part of Central America, Belize’s laid back lifestyle reflects more on its Caribbean neighbors.

It was the Amerindians who first inhabited Belize, but it was the Mayans who propelled its civilization. The Mayan skills was put to good use in farming Belize’s land for crops such as corn, chillies, and cocoa. As time pass, so did the Mayan expertise in architecture and stonework. Remains of the Mayan cities are still intact in Belize: ancient cities of Caracol, Lamanai, Lubaantun, Xunantunich, etc.

Similar to the Caribbean islands, it was Christopher Columbus who was the first European to set his sights on Belize, though he never set foot on land. Spanish shipwreck survivors were the first Non-Mayan to arrive in Belize. Of the twenty people who washed up on the shore, most were sacrificed to the Gods by the Mayans or taken as slaves. It was Gonzalo Guerrero, who became the first to defect to the Mayans and married into a noble family. His three children were the first mestizos in Belize.

Europeans were drawn to Belize because of the country’s abundance supply of logwood (a tree whose sap was used to dye clothing), as well as mahogany and other trees. The Spanish Empire, who had control over Belize, gave the British permission to set up logging camps. In time, the British area slowly grew. Spain and Britain eventually went to war over control of the country, with Britain emerging victorious over the Spaniards. Commonly known as the Battle of St. George’s Cayes, this event in history is celebrated in Belize September 10th of every year.

It was in 1840 that Belize was officially named as the Colony of British Honduras. In 1871, they became an official part of the Crown Colony. It wasn’t until 1973 that the name British Honduras was dropped, and the territory officially became known as Belize.

Home to red sunsets, reggae and Bob Marley, Jamaica is the place for tourists who just want to relax and lay back during the day, and party all night.

Though it was Christopher Columbus who first claimed the island for Spain, it was the Arawak Indians from South America who were the first settlers. In 1655, the British, led by Admiral William Penn, seized the colony from the Spaniards. Under the British rule, Jamaica became the one of the leading sugar exporter in the world, owing to the huge amount of African slaves working the plantations.

Jamaica was able to gain its independence from the Britain in 1947, and became fully independent when it broke free from the short-lived Federation of the West Indies in 1962. Though it’s now free from the United Kingdom, Jamaica still remains one of the most populous English-speaking country in the Americas.
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